PERHAPS K.P. Platt and Michael Kelly (Catholic Herald, 13 January) should check the facts before judging Melanie McDonagh. Her knowledge of the Bible is more accurate than either of theirs. She merely restates what the Word of God says. Do they have some difficulty with the Bible? The Lord is served in truth, not sycophancy. The Church is squeamish in matters of sexuality, not God he invented it, after all.
Shelia Kennally Leeds, West Yorkshire.
LET ME tell you how much I appreciate the gift copy of the Herald that the post girl bringS me every week.
This is a remote corner of the vineyard and it is hard to keep up with Catholic news and to stay fresh, especially as I've been here almost 40 years.
Thanks again to you and all the kind people who make this airmail gift possible.
Rev T Petry
St Paul's Catholic Church, Guyana
As SOMEONE WHO has read Morris West's novels with enjoyment, it was with some sadness I read his article (Catholic Herald, 28 January). He appeared to blame the Holy Father for the divisions in the Church and even suggested that he may have some difficulty in reaching heaven.
Mr West should accept that he can't have his cake and eat it. He prefers to believe, but only on his own terms.
What he should be advocating is that we all pray that the Holy Spirit will guide the Holy Father and also give some credit to the fact that the Holy Father does endeavour to reach the people.
I myself get great inspiration through the many spiritual writings of the Holy Father. Gerard McEntee Twickenham.
WE SHOULD BE glad to hear of any schemes whereby the richer members of the parish family help to bury the poor ones.
Some graves, for instance, have spare room. Do grave owners ever take in a poor body?
Joan Walsh London SW15
A MYTH PROPAGATED by your readers is that the celibacy rule is the contributing factor towards a drop in vocations in the Catholic Church.
Were it so, then numbers would be holding up in the other denominations.
No, I fear the drop in numbers is symptomatic of something far more longterm and worrying.
Ernest Drogpeace Luton, Bedford